Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Easter respite
This past weekend I went up to a cottage in Stokes Bay (part of the Bruce Peninsula) with a group of friends - Emily, Ed, Sandra, Henrietta, Joel and Shaun. Sandra and I left after the Good Friday service, picked up Ed and the kayaks in Hamilton, and then met up with Shaun, Joel and Emily in Guelph. When we arrived at Henrietta's in Owen Sound, we helped put on her two kayaks and some of us even got a chance to drive in Lambert's (Henrietta's brother) dune buggy which was pretty sweet! :) An hour later and we had arrived at the cottage, ate Joel's spaghetti supper, started a fire, played some euchre and Apples to Apples. The next morning, we enjoyed Ed's scrumptious omelettes and then all but Sandra and I went out for a kayak ride. When they got back, Em made some gourmet sandwiches (baked chicken/arugula/tomato, bacon/tomato/avocado, ham/swiss/poppyseed dressing). That afternoon, we drove up to Cyprus Lake which is part of the Bruce Peninsula National Park for a hike and some adventuring. It was gorgeous! That night we had hamburgers and a campfire on the beach. Sunday morning saw us driving to Owen Sound for church, then lunch at the Reininks, back to church and dinner provided by me (apple stuffed chicken, roasted veggies, mom's coleslaw, baked baguettes). That evening was more euchre and chillaxing. Monday after Sandra's bacon breakfast, Shaun, Joel, Sandra and I played a bit of Australian footy on the beach and then went for a hike. When we got back, it was time to clean up camp and head home. Enjoy the pictures!
Wednesday, 4 April 2012
Fear Not: Finding God's Comfort for my Fearful Soul
Notes from a women's conference: Fear Not: Finding God's Comfort for my Fearful Soul
*this first portion I turned into a devotion to share with the staff and faculty at Heritage
Two weekends ago I went to a women’s conference whose theme was “Fear Not: Finding God’s Comfort for My Fearful Soul.” On the Friday night we had to fill out a card that would get handed in and read only by our presenter, Tara Barthel. On that card we had to write down what our level of fear was from 1-10 and what were those things that we fear.
The next morning Tara said that she had read all of our cards and had taken the time to organize them into different categories based on what each person shared as their fear. Fears ranged from personal finances, to illness, to broken marriages, to singleness. She mentioned how in all of her 13 years of speaking at conferences, the core issues surrounding the issue of fear are different depending on her audience. Our group had a recurring theme of fear that she had never seen intimated on such a grand scale. A large percentage of the women feared that their children or their grandchildren would not come to know Jesus as their personal Saviour. This was a presenting issue as there was an even deeper issue at stake which was revealed as more anonymous cards were read - a deeper fear that our group had not been or currently weren’t good enough Christians to merit salvation. This deeper fear correlated to the fear of having children who were not saved. The thought process would probably sound something like this - if I was a better Christian, I could regenerate the hearts of my children, or put into our context - if we were better Christian teachers, we could regenerate the hearts of our students. Some may feel unacceptable to God and struggle with the fear of being inferior to salvation. This is committing cosmic treason as we then put ourselves in the place of God.
Praise the Lord that we don’t have to be good enough and that we don’t have to bear that burden of trying to appropriate the role of God! We’ve got an Intercessor in whose merit we are found favorable and can be reconciled to God. This weekend we’ll take the time to celebrate that Christ took our guilt and clothed us with innocence; that he bore our shame and lifted us to a place of glory and honour in the sight of the Father; that he took our short-comings and presented us with a cup that overflows; and that he took our fear and gave us the courage to continue trusting him.
Christ is our advocate. He receives the accusations from Satan, from the world, and from our own sinful nature and frees us from that bondage and from that fear. There is no accusation that his grace is not big enough for. Accusations of being not worthy, of being not good enough, of being a failure are met with Jesus’ intervention who is worthy, who is good enough and whose triumph over sin and hell makes him a perfect mediator.
Other random thoughts gleaned from the weekend:
Adrenaline kills theology because it kills short term memory. When we're angry or frustrated, we have to have our theology of love your neigbour deeply set so that we refrain from saying or doing things that serve to tear down instead of edify.
In faith's fight against fear, memorize Scripture! We begin to take ourselves by our hands and encourage ourselves instead of seeking that reaffirmation from others.
When we see someone else's struggling in light of our own struggles, we can both go to the cross. Through this perspective, we are reminded to be gracious and find the words to encourage one another.
Fear wears us down and warps our perspective. It tempts us to despondency. Defeated weariness comes just before cynicism.
How to deal with pain/struggles - 1) Feel it, 2) Name it, 3) Grieve it, 4) Trust God, 5) Move on
Worriers are visionaries without the optimism.
Whatever we think we need, is closely related to fear.
The person who fears God, fears nothing. Fear of God simplifies life.
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Already pondering ...
What to do for my 30th birthday? Hmmm ... Should I take a vote? Here are some options:
1) Go white water rafting
2) Experience zero gravity
3) Skydive - this is the one I'm most leaning towards
4) Ride on a motorcylce
5) Go rock-climbing
6) Hike the entire Bruce Trail - as part of a summer project?
These are a few of the options from my bucket list. I'm planning to have a big party, too! Suggestions for activities are welcome! I know the big event is still 5 months away, but a recent Bowmanville boy's birthday basement bash has got me thinking about my own celebration. Step one would be to find a location for this great event. I was originally thinking about my sister's place but she will have just had a baby, so maybe that wouldn't be the greatest idea. Then I got thinking about my parents' place which might work. We could go for a hike at Ball's Falls and bring some sports equipment there. And then I thought after being inspired by an innocent question from a friend ... Hmmm .. I wonder who might be at the Rathfon that week?? That would be ridiculously amazing! :) Unlikely, but amazing! :) Any suggestions?
1) Go white water rafting
2) Experience zero gravity
3) Skydive - this is the one I'm most leaning towards
4) Ride on a motorcylce
5) Go rock-climbing
6) Hike the entire Bruce Trail - as part of a summer project?
These are a few of the options from my bucket list. I'm planning to have a big party, too! Suggestions for activities are welcome! I know the big event is still 5 months away, but a recent Bowmanville boy's birthday basement bash has got me thinking about my own celebration. Step one would be to find a location for this great event. I was originally thinking about my sister's place but she will have just had a baby, so maybe that wouldn't be the greatest idea. Then I got thinking about my parents' place which might work. We could go for a hike at Ball's Falls and bring some sports equipment there. And then I thought after being inspired by an innocent question from a friend ... Hmmm .. I wonder who might be at the Rathfon that week?? That would be ridiculously amazing! :) Unlikely, but amazing! :) Any suggestions?
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Posts to write yet ...
1) Finish East Coast
2) Kentucky flashbacks
3) Abortion debate at Mac
4)Women's Conference
5) Priceless
2) Kentucky flashbacks
3) Abortion debate at Mac
4)
5) Priceless
Je pete le feu
So one of my students in grade 7 approached me and said that he had been talking on the phone to his uncle who lives in Quebec and his uncle told him to tell his French teacher: "Je pete le feu."
It was a phrase that was somewhat foreign to me as I what I thought it meant couldn't possibly be what his uncle was trying to convey. Or was it? The verdict's still out.
"Je pete le feu" has two meanings.
Meaning #1: I am full of energy.
Meaning #2: My farts are on fire.
I'm still chuckling.
It was a phrase that was somewhat foreign to me as I what I thought it meant couldn't possibly be what his uncle was trying to convey. Or was it? The verdict's still out.
"Je pete le feu" has two meanings.
Meaning #1: I am full of energy.
Meaning #2: My farts are on fire.
I'm still chuckling.
Thursday, 8 March 2012
English > Math
This was an article written by an acquaintance of mine. It's very well-written and rather humorous. I'm looking forward to reading the rebuttal. For now, enjoy!
There is a book coming out this year in which a variety of authors and thinkers were asked to write an epistle to their younger selves. They were asked to give advice or admonition based on what they know now and one letter worth sharing comes from contemporary author, Jodi Picoult. The only piece of advice she thought worthy of sending back into time was this: “You will never use calculus. Trust me.” As far as I’m concerned, she is right.
But which is greater, English or Math? So the question has been posed to Mr. —– and myself. Of course, the unfortunate irony for my esteemed colleague attempting to sing math’s supposed superiority is that he must (to his chagrin) rely upon the English language. Therefore, I will do what I can in the way of leveling the playing field by taking the liberty to rephrase the question as such: if x≠ y; is x > y or y > x? Find (and defend) the value of x.
I’m going to leave variables behind here for a moment (if you are a true philomath, do not worry, I will write slowly), to point out that the fruits of this inquiry will inevitably be flawed because of the nature of the question. The question, as posed, suggests a necessary, mutual exclusion between these two subjects and is therefore a question that only a Mathematic Mind (m2) would ask; but, I would venture, one that only an English mind could answer.
Let’s begin with a look at the English Mind. As far as I have come to think of it (and with it), the English Mind is Creative and Cultured (E = mc2). While the creative mind is responsible for imagining new possibilities and developing all the cultural activities (music, stories, poetry) that make life more than something “nasty, short and brutish,” Mathematics targets the lowest common denominator. The Dutch philosopher Herman Dooyeweerd placed “Numbers” as the most basic type of knowledge one could glean in this infinitely complex universe; and who wouldn’t trust a Dutch philosopher?
While the mathematician relies upon the dry, yeastless factuality of numbers, the English mind places these facts into the stories in which they make sense, thereby leavening the loaf of knowledge so it is not simply edible, but enjoyable as well. Even Jesus, with his few years upon this earth, chose not to waste his time propounding mathematical theorems; rather, he gave us story upon story, demanding that his followers be good readers. Christians, in fact, have been called “people of the book,” which is a badge we should wear with honour.
The English Mind, then, is a mind that knows how to step back and see the entire forest, not one which is content to count and cross-multiply the trees. The English mind can see the world in a grain of sand or a handful of dust. When Graham Greene talks of earth as a “marble floating through infinite space,” he captures something so immense and sublime in one simple phrase that you can’t help but marvel at your smallness. The English Mind also steps forward, into the dark wood to see the individual trees. It observes the particularities of a place and the idiosyncrasies of a character, the motivations and machinations that make men and women tick and it records them down with the precision of a mathematician and the love of a saint.
And here the false dichotomy between the m2 and the English Mind really breaks down. The true mathematician, I assume, has a similar confrontation with the sublime in the presence of a concept such as infinity. It would not be difficult to provide numerous examples of mathematical truths that boggle the mind; in fact, it would be as easy as pi.
But to get back on track; English is more important and will always be because it demands a more human way of thinking. The ancients knew this, and classified it under the humanities. Math, one of the sciences, was actually considered a handmaiden to literature and philosophy! Ironically, our culture now sees the humanities as something weak, something which needs defense, something which exists to serve the sciences by teaching literacy (as if knowing how to speak efficiently can lead to an abundant life).
Because of this, English has become the helpless victim of numerous, false stereotypes. Here are the three most common:
So, as you can see, although English might be in disarray in our society, it is a truly superior discipline. Now I could go on, but I’ve had this tongue in my cheek for far too long and must take care of it. For my mathematically inclined readers, do not worry; I’ll be fine.
[The following piece was prompted by a proposal from my students who run the school's newspaper to write a short piece as one side to the debate of which is the superior subject, math or english. It was fun to write and I can't wait to see the math teacher's reactions. I have left his name out of this post.]
There is a book coming out this year in which a variety of authors and thinkers were asked to write an epistle to their younger selves. They were asked to give advice or admonition based on what they know now and one letter worth sharing comes from contemporary author, Jodi Picoult. The only piece of advice she thought worthy of sending back into time was this: “You will never use calculus. Trust me.” As far as I’m concerned, she is right.
But which is greater, English or Math? So the question has been posed to Mr. —– and myself. Of course, the unfortunate irony for my esteemed colleague attempting to sing math’s supposed superiority is that he must (to his chagrin) rely upon the English language. Therefore, I will do what I can in the way of leveling the playing field by taking the liberty to rephrase the question as such: if x≠ y; is x > y or y > x? Find (and defend) the value of x.
I’m going to leave variables behind here for a moment (if you are a true philomath, do not worry, I will write slowly), to point out that the fruits of this inquiry will inevitably be flawed because of the nature of the question. The question, as posed, suggests a necessary, mutual exclusion between these two subjects and is therefore a question that only a Mathematic Mind (m2) would ask; but, I would venture, one that only an English mind could answer.
Let’s begin with a look at the English Mind. As far as I have come to think of it (and with it), the English Mind is Creative and Cultured (E = mc2). While the creative mind is responsible for imagining new possibilities and developing all the cultural activities (music, stories, poetry) that make life more than something “nasty, short and brutish,” Mathematics targets the lowest common denominator. The Dutch philosopher Herman Dooyeweerd placed “Numbers” as the most basic type of knowledge one could glean in this infinitely complex universe; and who wouldn’t trust a Dutch philosopher?
T.S. Eliot, an early 20th century poet, once asked: “Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?” Again, math is but the foundation of the temple of knowledge. We have all heard that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, but I think we might add that the study of English is the beginning of knowledge, while math is but the lowly beginnings of information. I have no problem with math in the same way I have no problem with the bottom rung of a ladder: both are necessary to step on as you move upwards.
While the mathematician relies upon the dry, yeastless factuality of numbers, the English mind places these facts into the stories in which they make sense, thereby leavening the loaf of knowledge so it is not simply edible, but enjoyable as well. Even Jesus, with his few years upon this earth, chose not to waste his time propounding mathematical theorems; rather, he gave us story upon story, demanding that his followers be good readers. Christians, in fact, have been called “people of the book,” which is a badge we should wear with honour.
The English Mind, then, is a mind that knows how to step back and see the entire forest, not one which is content to count and cross-multiply the trees. The English mind can see the world in a grain of sand or a handful of dust. When Graham Greene talks of earth as a “marble floating through infinite space,” he captures something so immense and sublime in one simple phrase that you can’t help but marvel at your smallness. The English Mind also steps forward, into the dark wood to see the individual trees. It observes the particularities of a place and the idiosyncrasies of a character, the motivations and machinations that make men and women tick and it records them down with the precision of a mathematician and the love of a saint.
And here the false dichotomy between the m2 and the English Mind really breaks down. The true mathematician, I assume, has a similar confrontation with the sublime in the presence of a concept such as infinity. It would not be difficult to provide numerous examples of mathematical truths that boggle the mind; in fact, it would be as easy as pi.
But to get back on track; English is more important and will always be because it demands a more human way of thinking. The ancients knew this, and classified it under the humanities. Math, one of the sciences, was actually considered a handmaiden to literature and philosophy! Ironically, our culture now sees the humanities as something weak, something which needs defense, something which exists to serve the sciences by teaching literacy (as if knowing how to speak efficiently can lead to an abundant life).
Because of this, English has become the helpless victim of numerous, false stereotypes. Here are the three most common:
1) Any answer in English can be right (ok, I’ll admit that’s somewhat true…)
2) English is an overly emotional subject which trains us how to get in touch with our feelings (frankly, I feel hurt when I hear this, and wouldn’t mind getting together with a group of other English folk to talk it out).
3) English is an easy way to get an A+ (the joke’s on you here; I mark everything with smiley and frowny faces).
So, as you can see, although English might be in disarray in our society, it is a truly superior discipline. Now I could go on, but I’ve had this tongue in my cheek for far too long and must take care of it. For my mathematically inclined readers, do not worry; I’ll be fine.
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
East Coast Memories - Day 7
I was very excited to go back and visit the friends I had made the previous summer in PEI. Today was Sunday - time for church. Poor Em. We pulled into the parking lot in the morning and two oversized vans full with 2 different families just happened to be people from her school visiting the island at the same time as us.
I got hugs from Allison and Levi (the pastor's wife and son), Mr. VanderZwaag, Rachel, the VanDyks. Deanna and Isaac were visiting that day as well. The Verburgs and VanderMeulens had just left. Quite the reunion central.
The day was very relaxed. Sleeping in. Church. Beach. Church. Reading around the fire. Bed on time. A true day of rest!
I got hugs from Allison and Levi (the pastor's wife and son), Mr. VanderZwaag, Rachel, the VanDyks. Deanna and Isaac were visiting that day as well. The Verburgs and VanderMeulens had just left. Quite the reunion central.
The day was very relaxed. Sleeping in. Church. Beach. Church. Reading around the fire. Bed on time. A true day of rest!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)